1 in 4 "Americans" Don't Know Earth Orbits the Sun.

[Peeperkorn]

Here: http://phys.org/news/2014-02-americans-unaware-earth-circles-sun.html

And here: http://news.discovery.com/space/astronomy/1-in-4-americans-dont-know-earth-orbits-the-sun-yes-really-140214.htm

Words fail me.

[tik 🪀✨]

The earth orbits nothing. It is guided through space by the steadfast hands of the LORD. Planets are God's dandruff.

[IceSpear]

Words fail me.

Really? You're surprised? If anything I would've expected it to be higher.

[7,052,770]

What's even more surprising is that a lower percentage of Europeans got the question right.

[Likely Voter]

Eppur si muove

[Hatman 🍁]

I think I worked on the Canadian version of this survey.

Do the results actually surprise anyone here?

[Zioneer]

I think I worked on the Canadian version of this survey.

Do the results actually surprise anyone here?

I was unaware that one in four Americans were that stupid. I mean come on, that was one of the first things I was taught in first or second grade (i.e., when I was 8 years old).

[bannination]

I think I worked on the Canadian version of this survey.

Do the results actually surprise anyone here?

I was unaware that one in four Americans were that stupid. I mean come on, that was one of the first things I was taught in first or second grade (i.e., when I was 8 years old).

I'm sure everyone was taught that, but church said it was wrong... so ... yeah...

Turtles all the way down...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

You ask this sort of question in most countries and you'd get absurd/embarrassing/trollish answers.

(yes, people do troll pollsters and so on...)

[Хahar 🤔]

I assume a large portion of this is people simply mishearing the question. It's not as if it's a normal question to ask.

[Deus Naturae]

I think I worked on the Canadian version of this survey.

Do the results actually surprise anyone here?

I was unaware that one in four Americans were that stupid. I mean come on, that was one of the first things I was taught in first or second grade (i.e., when I was 8 years old).

I'm sure everyone was taught that, but church said it was wrong... so ... yeah...

Turtles all the way down...

What church actually denies heliocentrism? I mean, there must be some that do, but I doubt that 1% of Americans, let alone 25%, belong to those churches.

[Vosem]

Why is the word Americans in scare quotes?

[MaxQue]

Why is the word Americans in scare quotes?

Considering the poster is South American, probably because he considers the word American should apply to people living on the continent of America, not to people living in the USA.

[H. Ross Peron]

I think I worked on the Canadian version of this survey.

Do the results actually surprise anyone here?

I was unaware that one in four Americans were that stupid. I mean come on, that was one of the first things I was taught in first or second grade (i.e., when I was 8 years old).

I'm sure everyone was taught that, but church said it was wrong... so ... yeah...

Turtles all the way down...

What church actually denies heliocentrism? I mean, there must be some that do, but I doubt that 1% of Americans, let alone 25%, belong to those churches.

Not a specific denomination, but I've seen some ultra-orthodox Presbyterians deny it (and I say this as an orthodox Presbyterian myself).

[HagridOfTheDeep]

I'm an orthodox Presbyterian. Never heard anyone at church argue against heliocentrism.

That being said, if we really want to bring philosophy and religion into the realm of worldly facts, I can't really say with certainty that anything is "true," except perhaps my own existence.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

LOL, so at least 25% of this country is totally retarded?

I wonder how many would correctly answer the question

"Is the earth closer to the sun in January or July?"

[Mr. Morden]

I wonder how many would correctly answer the question

"Is the earth closer to the sun in January or July?"

Many Australians would get that one right for the wrong reason. 

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I'm not especially alarmed by this. A number of people have little to no interest in astronomy, and for most people, advancing personal knowledge of astronomy offers little to no benefit.

[Zioneer]

I'm not especially alarmed by this. A number of people have little to no interest in astronomy, and for most people, advancing personal knowledge of astronomy offers little to no benefit.

I live in a very religious state which isn't especially known for science. I learned this in 1st grade in public school. This is very, very basic. How do people not remember that the earth revolves around the sun? It's basic, 2+2=4 stuff.

Oh, and it gets worse, the majority of young people think astrology is a science (though I suspect they're confusing it with astronomy or trolling.

And only half know that antibiotics don't kill viruses.

The thing is, 90% of Americans also say that they love science and hope that scientific research gets more government funding.

[muon2]

As someone who teaches astronomy, I can say I'm not surprised, and it's not about religion or politics. Moderate has part of the answer - people generally don't retain facts that don't apply to their everyday lives. Xahar also has part of the answer, when people hear an unexpected or unfamiliar question they easily misunderstand the question. One of the best predictors for success in college physics or astronomy at the introductory level is not one's math skill, but rather one's reading skill.

[Mechaman]

You ask this sort of question in most countries and you'd get absurd/embarrassing/trollish answers.

(yes, people do troll pollsters and so on...)

^^^^
This.

It's like whenever somebody posts a Hitler thread on here.  Many of us just can't freaking believe such a question needs to be asked, so we purposefuly vote FF even though Hitler was obviously the worst person ever.

[Zioneer]

As someone who teaches astronomy, I can say I'm not surprised, and it's not about religion or politics. Moderate has part of the answer - people generally don't retain facts that don't apply to their everyday lives. Xahar also has part of the answer, when people hear an unexpected or unfamiliar question they easily misunderstand the question. One of the best predictors for success in college physics or astronomy at the introductory level is not one's math skill, but rather one's reading skill.

But astronomy doesn't apply to my everyday life and I still retain that information. I don't understand why it's so difficult to retain such a basic fact. I'm a history guy, I don't do math or science. By that logic I shouldn't be able to remember that the earth revolves around the sun.

[politicallefty]

That kind of stat honestly scares me. Even if some are just trolling the pollster, there are still far too many to not know this already. I learned the very basics of astronomy in second grade (and I've loved the subject ever since).

[Randy Bobandy]

Americans are easily among the least intelligent lifeforms on the planet, and I am not at all surprised by this. My cat is smarter than most adult Americans, and I'm not exaggerating.

[dead0man]

And some of you want these people voting?